ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobo volleyball team earned another Mountain West win on Thursday night, defeating San Diego State in four sets (25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 25-21).
Kaitlynn Biassou led all players with 18 kills and 20 points, while Anilee Sher completed a double-double with a match-high 37 assists and 10 digs. Defensively, Avital Jaloba led the Lobos with six assisted blocks and a solo block and Alena Moldan registered a team-high 18 digs. Uxue Guereca also reached double figures in kills with 10, with Lea Zurlinden one shy.
The Lobos took the early 6-3 lead in the opening set, with Biassou accounting for three kills. However, the Aztecs tied the set at 10 and took the 11-10 lead, holding a 15-13 lead at the media break. Two Guereca kills kept the Lobos within one at 15-14 and 16-15 before a Zurlinden kill evened the set at 16. After SDSU went back in front by two at 18-16, the Lobos answered with a 5-0 run to take control of the set. San Diego State fought off set point at 24-20 before Biassou closed the set with a final kill as the Lobos won 25-21.
Biassou opened with seven kills in the set, with the Lobos outhitting the Aztecs .302 to .244.
SDSU scored the first three points of the second set and led 12-6 behind a 5-0 scoring run, but the Lobos fought back to close the gap. A 5-0 Lobo run behind kills by Biassou, Guereca, Arianna Jamerson and Zurlinden and an attack error brought the Lobos back within one at 12-11. The Aztecs answered with winning the next two points to go up 14-11, but the Lobos rallied to again pull within one at 18-17 and then at 20-19. UNM closed to tie the set at 21 on a Zurlinden and Lauryn Payne block and a Guereca ace gave the Lobos the 22-21 lead, its first lead of the set. After SDSU tied the set at 22, a successful challenge by head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar put the Lobos in front 23-22 and a SDSU attack error gave UNM set point. While the Aztecs again fought it off, another attack error provided the final point in the 25-23 Lobo set win.
The Aztecs extended the match with a 25-18 set three win, using a 6-0 run to pull away in the set at 18-14.
Biassou opened the fourth set with a kill and a solo block as the Lobos took the early 3-0 lead, before the Aztecs answered to tie the set and took a 6-4 lead. However, a ball handling error and Jaloba kill squared the set at six, and following ties at seven and eight, the Lobos regained their lead at 10-8. Following ties at 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, New Mexico went on a 3-0 run to take the 17-14 lead with an Aztec attack error and two Moldan aces. While SDSU got a point back, the Lobo momentum continued with a Biassou kill, a Madison Blanco service ace and a solo block by Jaloba to lead 20-15. A block by Jaloba and Sher extended the lead to six at 22-16, and although the Aztecs closed within four at 22-19, an Aztec service error, Guereca kill and a SDSU attack error gave UNM the 25-21 set win and the match.
With the win, the Lobos improved to 12-7 on the season and 3-6 in the Mountain West and improves their win streak against the Aztecs to three. Up next, UNM heads back on the road to face Fresno State on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network.